TUE, JUN 16 2020-theG&BJournal-The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) has dismissed suggestions that N23 Billion has disappeared from its office.
In a statement issued Monday and signed by Janet Mcdickson, Head, Communications, the OSSAP-SDGs said the publication alleging ‘disquiet’ in the Office due to an alleged N23 Billion traced to the personal account of a former staff of the Office, is ‘’reckless publications.’’
‘’OSSAP-SDGs categorically denied that N23 billion is missing in the Office. Indeed, appropriated and released Funds to the office were judiciously utilized in the discharge of its mandate,’’ it said.
On the transfer of staff from the Office, ‘’it is pertinent to state that it is completely the prerogative and responsibility of the pool Ministry or Office to redeploy any of their staff seconded to any Ministry, Department or Agency in line with extant rules and guidelines. It is therefore misrepresentation of facts for anyone to interpret this as an ‘attempt to cover-up’.’’
OSSAP-SDGs recalled that the National Assembly, ‘’amazed by the spurious allegations in the reports had also debunked insinuations that the allocation to OSSAP-SDGs in the 2020 budget was padded with the sum of N33bn and absolved both the person of Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and OSSAP-SDGs of such financial Impropriety.
The statement signed by the House Committee Chairman on SDGs, Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye read in part: “The House Committee on SDGs got records from the OSSAP-SDGs and Appropriation committee which shows the said additional 33 billion was not appropriated for SDGs office among provisions of the 2020 budget earlier assented by Mr. President.”
‘’The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs is committed to the discharge of its core mandates, including President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption, and as such will not bow to pressure and distractions in the onerous task of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria.’’
OSSAP-SDGs advised the public to disregard such publications as they are only designed to malign the Office.
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